Daily Republican., 1887-04-16
tn % LAkG EST In the sgATE.

II
william -. Sharp = Oo.'s Great DrJ
Gsods Estabiishment-A Tromcud0ui
stoch OF All Kinds OF 0oods-The Car.
pct Department an I'm mssss Businesl
In 1tseif.
The rapid growth which has distiu.
euisbed this city in every respect is o.
pecially noticeable in the large and
handsome business houses on Market
street, which within o few years have
taken the places formerly occupied BY
houses and stores that told OF the days
when this now large and prospsrou.
city was borough. Prominent among
these impr0vem snts 10 the large four
story buildings on the southeast corner
of Fourth and Market streets, occupied
by Wu. b. Sharp & Co. as q dry goods
and carpet establishment. This bust.
ness, which has now assumed such vas,
proportions, was commenced by Mr..
Sharp In quite . modest way about 40
| years ago. further down Market street,
and In 1873 he removed 10 the prereni
location. The increase Of business,
however, wss 30 great In the next tel
years that the building became entirely
too small to meet Its demands, and II
was torn down and the present maznif
cent structure erected ON tho site.
UP to the FIRST Of this year tho busi
ness was conducted by William b
Smith, who for fourteen yeArs had been
In bis employ as chief salesman, was
omitted into the firm, and Ia now con
stantly engaged In supervising their
immense trade A visit to this estab
lishment is . revelation, as there are
but few peIsons in Wilmington who
have any idea OF the tremendous stock
carried BY this firm, or ths amount OF
business done each day. The base meni
is devoted entirely to domestic goods,
suoh - muslins, sheetinRs, blankets,
nAnnels, plQua, white and thin goods,
towels, table cloths, napkins and an
endless variety OF other goods in that
line, such as are Of daily uss in every
house. This line OF goods, with the
assortment, is splendid, and the amount
of stock constantly carried 10 excelled
but by few houses In the largest cities.
Ascending from the bassm ent TO the
first floor, visitor 10 almost beWildered
With the scene that meets his view.
There Ia long line of counters on each
side, back of which shelves, reaching to
the ceiling, are hlled with gocds, while
the counters themselves also contain
vast piles, in addition to those stored In
other places, on oil sides, wherever
there Is space enough to pile them up,
This large room IL stocked with notions,
hosiery, gloves. dress goods, silks, sat-
ms, velvets and mourning goods, OF
which this house makes . speciality and
constantly carries . large stock OF all
descriptions The cloth department on
this floor Is worthy of more than pass
ing notice, as 1t contains all kinds and
varieties OF cloth. from the common to
the fnest goods man ufacturec.
| The second floor Ia reached by an
easy stairway, and the front part is
found to be devoted to ladies' under
wear, coats, wraps, parasols, umbrel
las, suits for small boys, table and
piano covers. frinRes, gimps, silk and
mohair pushes. and seemingly never
ending variety Of other goods The up
holstery department is also on this floor
and Is filled with the finest stock OF
goods in this line In the State, and
which is excelled by but few houses In
philadelphia Here will be fouad cur
talus OF all descriptions, from 8 cents q
yard 10 SIS per pair, with tassels, cords,
fixtures aud everything pertaining To
this branch of the business.
The upholstery department was only
started about three years ago, and pre-
viOus to that time noarly all goods OF
that description had to be obtained
1 from Philadelphia.
| The annex, on this floor, extends int
the Herdman building on Fourth street,
and ia devoted to Administer, Mcquette
and Brussels carpets, rugs and mating,
and in this connection 1t may be men.
toned that this is the only firm in this
; city that keep the hrst two named car
| pets In stock. Some idea can ba found
Of the vast variety of Brussels carpet
when 1t is known that the 6rm have
constaptly on hand from four hundred
to five hundred rolls, egci OF which Ia
n different pattern, and comprising z
thousands upon thousands OF Yards.
| The progress made by the Chinese In
the maaufac.ure Of mattings is well ii
lustrsted In this department. In one
place are immense rolls OF plain mat
ting, the only kind known II iew years
ago, while in close prOxomity are rolls
OF beautiful figured mating, which
closely ressn bies, and Is hard to dis
tineuish from fine ingram carpet.
This anne Z, which ts large and well
lighted, makes the finest show room for
lcarpets that Can be found in this coun
,try, and the salesmen when showing
the goods to cuetcmera cal match
breadth after breadth upon the floor.
sho wing ex xactly how the carpst will
appear When made ana spread in the
purchseer' house.
| The third floor of the main building
is also devoted to carpets. and Is filled
with q vast stock Of ingram, Venetian
and rag carpets aud Gil cloths. There
are at least 800 large rolls of carpets In
this department, ranging from the low.
eat prlve to the finest and most expen.
sive inRraius manufactured. Five
years ago Mr.. Sharp did not sell any
carpets at all, but at present the firm
claim to do rs much business in this
line as Ia done by all the other dealers
In this CITY. They started with hut one
man, and now furnish constant stnploy.
ment to 10. which force Is Increased
during the busy season. All their car
pets are bought direct from the manu-
facturers, and by this means they are
enabled to give their customers the
oenefit OF the savings effected by not
buying from iobbsrs and Iniddlemen.
A part OF the fourth floor is used for
storing duplicate goods. and the remand.
er as a cutting and fitting room for bor-
tooieu carpet Work, OF which tuls urn
makes specially. A large force of girls
are employed at this business, and the
number OF yards of carpet sewed every
day is almost incredible. This branch
OF the business is reduced to science,
and person wishing carpet has only to
visit the store, select the pattern which
pleases their taste, and then leave their
name aud residence. In few hours
they VIII be waited upon by a gentleman
VINO VIII take the measure, and make a
plan OF the room or rooms, to be carpeted,
aud In day CIR SO more they will be